What monitors do pro gamers use? Pro players monitors explained

Looking to up your game? Let's see what monitors pros use

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Professional gamers, also known as esports players, rely on high-quality gear and equipment to perform at their best. This includes their monitors, which play a crucial role in their gameplay experience – but what monitors do pro gamers use? There are a few monitors that are commonly used by professionals in various esports games. It’s also worth noting that most professional esports players use 24-inch or 27-inch monitors instead of the larger 32-inch and above displays, especially for FPS games.

Monitors such as the Alienware AW2720HF or BenQ ZOWIE XL2546K are popular picks, so we’re going to be talking about them more today and explain why pros players find them best. Since they’re always looking to min-max their setup, we’ll keep this page updated to show off the best.

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What monitors do pros use for gaming?

If you think of pro gaming, you may think about the very best gaming monitors on the market – maybe something like a 4K 144Hz monitor or the best HDMI 2.1 monitors. Well, not quite. Higher resolutions like this are becoming more commonplace for pro content creators (1440p monitors in particular), but tournament players generally still stick to compact 24-inch 1080p displays for better focus on the game, and it’s what many tournament organizers still use for regulation purposes.

So, although many pros are sticking to their 1080p ways, we’ve spotted a couple of retired pros-turned-streamers upgrading to the 1440p middle ground for high-end performance and high-fidelity visuals together. The truth is that many people have learned how to play on the lower resolution, and it gives the best performance, so the demand to upgrade is not really there. Furthermore, these smaller 24-25″ 1080p displays let you pay closer attention to the entire screen at once and stay focused.

Best 1080p 27-inch monitor for pros

Alienware AW2720HF

Size

27″

Refresh Rate

240Hz

Response Time

1ms

Panel Type

IPS

Resolution

1920 x 1080

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Pros

• Stunning IPS panel
• 27″ screen size
• 240Hz refresh rate
• 1ms response time

Cons

• Expensive for 1080p

One monitor that has wide usage among pros is the Alienware AW2720HF. This 27-inch monitor from Dell has a 1080p resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. And, with lightning-fast IPS technology and 99% sRGB color coverage, this machine would take a respected place on any gamer’s table. If you want to read more, take a look at our Alienware AW2720HF review.

If you’re particularly interested in a larger 27″ panel, then this is the choice for you. Great if you want to be slightly more immersed in your game. This could be good for RTS or MOBA games in particular, or even something like Rocket League. It is a matter of preference for the most part though.

Best 1080p 24-inch monitor for pros

BenQ ZOWIE XL2546K

Refresh Rate

240Hz

Response time

1ms (GtG)

Screen size

24.5″

Resolution

1920 x 1080

How We Review

Hands-on Review

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Pros

• Tournament-standard 24″ size
• Smooth 240Hz refresh rate
• 1ms response time
• BenQ XL Setting sharing

Cons

• TN panel sub-par outside of gaming

When talking about esports-ready monitors, BenQ is a brand that comes to mind, specifically their ZOWIE XL range. The BenQ XL2546 is yet another monitor that is commonly used by professional gamers. It has a 1920×1080 resolution, a whopping 240Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time, making it suitable for all fast-paced games. It also features a 24.5-inch screen and HDMI 2.0 connectivity, so you can use it for multiple purposes.

BenQ XL2546 is mostly used by FPS pros – namely Counter-Strike, Valorant, Fortnite, or Call of Duty pros. Again, this is another monitor we’ve tested – so take a look at our BenQ ZOWIE XL2546K review for further details.

FAQs

Why do pro gamers use 1080p?

There are a few reasons really. First off, 1080p monitors give the best performance as the resolution isn’t taxing on your system and lets you easily achieve high framerates. Secondly, it’s what many pros are already used to and is commonplace in a tournament setting – and many tournament organizers regulate this.

Why do pro gamers use 24 inch monitors?

As most pros play at 1080p, 24-inch (or 25-inch) monitors are the most common at this resolution. You can find 27-inch screens here too if you wish. These smaller monitors allow you to focus on the game not let any details escape your peripheral vision.

Since 1080p at 24″ is very common, it’s often what’s used by tournament organizers, and you of course want to train with the same equipment you’ll find on LAN.

Conclusion

Overall, there are a few very good monitors that are commonly used by professional gamers in various esports games. These monitors tend to have high refresh rates, low response times, and G-Sync technology, making them ideal for quick and responsive gameplay. They also tend to have fully adjustable stands and customizable lighting, allowing pros to tailor their setup to their liking.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming setup and want a monitor that can keep up with the demands of professional gaming, these monitors are 100% worth considering if the price suits you well.